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Maternal and child nutrition in humanitarian action

Protecting the right to nutrition in emergencies.

Mundene, 21, is screened for malnutrition as she cradles her two-month-old baby Melesech at the Gedebe Health Post in Halaba Special Woreda, Ethiopia, in 2016.
UNICEF/UN022060/Ayene
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Emergencies around the world have become increasingly complex and protracted. Driven by conflict, climate change, epidemics, and disasters, humanitarian crises are leaving millions of children and women malnourished and jeopardizing their survival, growth and development.

Humanitarian crises are often characterized by limited access to nutritious, safe and affordable food and clean water; disruptions in essential health and nutrition services; and constraints to optimal feeding, care and hygiene practices. The greatest consequences are borne by children, adolescents and women.

Wasting and other forms of acute malnutrition pose an immediate threat to children’s lives during emergencies. At the same time, stunting and micronutrient deficiencies are often widespread, with devastating impacts on children’s physical growth and cognitive potential that endure long after the crisis has passed.

Saving lives and reducing suffering is always a priority in humanitarian situations. In 2019, UNICEF and partners responded to 281 humanitarian situations of varying scale in 96 countries. Many of the same countries and regions move in and out of crisis, locked in situations of sustained instability and fragility, with tragic consequences for families living in these stressful contexts.

In fragile settings with weak national systems, countries need support to prevent malnutrition before it starts – and better prepare for, withstand and bounce back from crisis.

UNICEF’s response

Sham, 3 months old, receives her vaccinations in one of the UNICEF-supported health clinics in Azraq Refugee Camp, Jordan, in 2019.
UNICEF/UN0303588/Herwig
Three-month-old Sham receives her vaccinations in one of the UNICEF-supported health clinics in Azraq Refugee Camp, Jordan, in 2019.

UNICEF’s actions to prevent and treat malnutrition during emergencies are guided by its Core Commitments to Children in Humanitarian Action – a global framework for fulfilling the rights of children affected by humanitarian crisis.

UNICEF helps governments prepare for emergencies by identifying risks and building responsiveness so they are ready to scale up programmes when emergencies strike. Once an emergency is declared, we help coordinate the response and scale up services to reach those in need. As countries transition from crisis, we share knowledge and lessons learned to help them better respond to future emergencies.

Coordinating response

As the United Nations Cluster Lead Agency for Nutrition, UNICEF helps strengthen national coordination during humanitarian crises and build effective partnerships for nutrition with national governments and partners.

We coordinate global responses to humanitarian crises through the Global Nutrition Cluster, with the goal of ensuring that the multiple agencies and organizations involved in humanitarian response work effectively, avoid overlap, and mobilize shared resources to best support countries in crisis.

Providing technical assistance

UNICEF delivers timely and quality technical support to national governments and partners, ensuring that emergency preparedness and response is aligned with global guidelines. As countries face new challenges for which there is no global guidance, we help find solutions through our Global Nutrition Cluster Technical Alliance.

Strengthening systems and capacities

UNICEF helps governments develop shock-responsive nutrition policies and programmes ahead of humanitarian crises, promoting collaboration between various actors. We also strengthen national systems and supply chains to ensure that children and women access the essential nutrition supplies they need to survive and thrive.

Strengthening information systems

UNICEF strengthens global and national nutrition information systems to prepare for and respond to humanitarian crises, and helps countries collect and use data to inform decisions.

Delivering essential nutrition interventions

UNICEF facilitates a timely and coordinated response to prevent and treat malnutrition in humanitarian contexts. We also act as a provider of last resort, ensuring the delivery of essential nutrition interventions when national systems fail or are insufficient during humanitarian crises.

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